Automobile lock



AMay l5, 1923. l SSE@ c. A. HABNICHT AUTOMOBILE LOCK Filed April 4. 1921 Patented May l5, i923.

rsu stares CHARLES A. HABENICHT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

Application filed Aprilll,

To all whom t mamy concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES- A. HABE.-

NIoH'r, a citizen of 4the United States, and

resident of San Francisco, county `of San Francisco, and State of California, have iii-- vented a new and useful Automobile Lock.

The present invention relates toimprovements in automobile locks and its object is to provide a loc-k that works in combination with the switch controlling the ignition system. A further object is to provide a lock that will lock itselt1 automatically every time the switch is turned oli so that thedriver cannot forget to lock his machine when he turns oft t-he switch. A- i'urther object is to p-rovide a lock that may, when unlocked, be taken apart easily, so that the combination of the same can be changed without dilii culty in case the key has been lost or stolen. Another object is to provide a lock that may control any number of electric contacts simultaneously, so that the whole electric system of. the automobile may be disconnected and locked at the same time.

l attain these objects by means 'ot' the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 represents a horizontal cross-section through Lmy lock attached to the switchboard substantially along line 1-1 of Figure 4, Figure 2 `a sectional detail view oi' my lock along the same line, showing the position oit' the working parts of my lock `when the` switch is turned on, Figure 3 a sectional detail view of the lock along the same line showing the'position of the working parts ot the same when `the switch is turned otl' and locked, Figure 4t a `tro-nt view of the lock as attached to the dasht board, Figure 5 a sectional view of the look taken. along line 5v5 of Figure 3 and Figure 6 a perspective view ot a keyrused for my lock.y f'

Referring to the drawing in detail the reader will` see that in4 the coil box (1)- attached to the dash board- (2) the terminals (3) of the secondary wires or" the induction coils, not shown in the drawing, are brought into metallic contact with the terminals (a) Vof the wires leading to the spark plugs by means ot the blades (6) rigidly fastened to the shaft (7). One end of the lat-ter is supported in the coil box as shown at (8), while the other end is supported in the small end of a tapered plug (9) adapted to revolve in the housing (11). A handle (12) is fastened to the opposite end of the plug lthe housing, so that the 1921. Serial No. 458,238.

(9), by means of which the plug can be revolved in the housing. It will be easily understood that in revolving the plug a person would also revolve the shaft (l) and the blades (6) on the same and thereby open and close the contact between the contacts in the secondary wiring.

The housing 11, of cylindrical shape, is supported in the dash board and is provided withan outer projection (14) which extends into the dash board through the opening (1.5)v but does not penetrate the same to its full depth. This projection locks the housing against rotation.

The locking device tor the revolving plug arranged so that they do not register with S each other when the sectors touch the rear j wall of the cut-out portion, but can be made to register by the use of a proper key (22) which maybe inserted through the hole (23) in the housing andis adapted to push each ot' the sectors forward against the tension of its spring suiiiciently to make all the notches register. yThen in such a position the notches are adapted to receive the projection (24) of a dog V(2G) pivoting on a pin (27) supported in the walls ot the cutout portion of the plug (9) and allow said dog thereby to clear the bearing surface oi plug is tree to ro tate in said housing.

When the leyis withdrawn the springs will tend to push the sectors rearward again into contact with the rear wall of the cutout portion of the plug and in doing so they also tend to throw the projection (24:) of the dog out oi' engagement withl the notches (21), the contacting surfaces of the notches and the projection being inclined planes. But the springs will succeed in this tendency onlv when the plug is in such a position in its bearing that the dog (26) registers with a recess (3l) in the housing which it does only when the switch is oil'. The recess (31) and the dog (26) are shown in cross-section in Figure 5 and it will be seen that both are rounded oli' so that, after the insertion of the key has caused the notches to register with the projection of the dog, the mere pressure brought to bear on the dog in the eli'ort to turn the plug will cause the dog to engage the notches and will allow the plug to be turned.k

The operation of the device can be easily understood; W'hen the switch is turned on, as in Figure l,v the plug is in the position shown in Figure Q, and in full lines in Figure 3, that is, the dog is in engagement with thenotches and prevented from leaving' the same only by the fact that it bears 'against the surface of the bearing of the housing. When the switch is turned off, the dog is caused to register with the recess (31),the

springs (19) `force the sectors' rearward, the dog into the recess, and the notches out oft registry with each other, sol that the plug is locked.' It will be noticed that this locking is done automatically with the turning off of the switch and that no key is necessary for this purpose. Then it is desired to use the car again, a proper key has to be inserted and force the sectors forward so that their notches register. `Turning the plug by means of the handle will then torce the dog into engagement vwith the notches andallow t-he plug to turn. The view in Figure 3 shows in Vdotted llines the locking position ofthe dog and in full lines the position of the vdog when the driver has just begun to turn lthe plug after inserting his key.

of the opening (l5) in thev dash left unoccupied by the projection (14), all three ot which register when the switch is turnedon, as in Figure 2. The different holes' are yarranged so thatl when the latch is in place, the rearside of the extension ,is just flush with the front-side of the dash board, so that when the plug is turned, the extension slides along the dash and locks housing and plug against the dash. A slot (39) is provided in the housing connecting with the cylindrical hole (37)', to provide a path for the extension (34) when the plug is rotated and to also limit its motion, so as to stop the plug from rotating when it has reached the Alocking position. A -spring (40) between one side of the slot and the extension prevents the latter from turning too easily.

A metal plate (41) securedto the housing is screwed to the dash board as shown at (42) to give a vfinished surface and additional supportfto the switch.

l. In combinationwith a supporting board, a detachable switch lock comprising a' housing adapted to be inserted in the board having mean-s thereon l'or locking the same against rotary motion. a: switch controlling plug associated with the housing and locking means for the plug, comprising means for locking the plug against rotation and means for simultaneously locking .the plug Y to thehousing vand theboard against longi tudinal motion.

2. In, combination with a supporting board, a detachable switch lock comprising a housing adapted to be inserted in the board having means thereon for locking the same against rotary motion7 a switch controlling plug associated with the housing and locking means for the plug, comprising means for locking the plug .against rotation and means for simultaneously locking the plugto the housing and the board against longitudinal motion, the latter means comprising a latch removably inserted in the plug and becoming active when the plug is locked. 'j j.

3. In combination j withl a supporting board a switch lock comprising ahousing rigidly supported in said board, a. switch controlling tapered plug rotatable in said housing, means for selectively locking said plug against rotary motion, a cylindrical hole in the housing and a. threaded cylindrical hole in the plugadapted to selectively register with the former, and a latch'adapted to be` screwed into the threaded hole when both holes register and to lock .the plug to the housing when the holes dol not register.

` CHARLES A. HABENICHI. 

